Why Small Organizations Are Getting Targeted More by Attackers
Hackers Are Finding Big Wins in Small Targets
When a hacker is picking which doorway to kick in, the small business down the street often looks way more inviting than the giant fortress of a corporation. Big companies can afford full security teams, round-the-clock monitoring, threat intelligence, and dedicated budgets. Small organizations tend to rely on what feels “good enough” strong passwords, maybe multi-factor authentication here and there, but the truth is, those basics often aren’t enough — and cybercriminals know it.
Research shows that about 43% of all cyber attacks are aimed squarely at small businesses. Nearly half of small organizations report having been attacked.1 When you don’t have layers of defense, attackers see vulnerability, not invisibility.
Think about how attackers choose targets. They don’t always go for the biggest prize first — they go for the easiest access. Small organizations frequently run older software, skip patches, and trust convenience over security. They rely on universal passwords or reuse credentials. Those are the doors criminals try first. And once inside, a small breached vendor or partner can become a bridge into a larger network — it’s a ripple effect. One survey found that 59% of organizations say a breach happened through a third party. 2
Adding to all that, human error is still one of the top causes of breaches. Phishing attacks, social engineering tactics, or someone clicking a malicious link — those are what bring attackers in. Even with MFA in place, an employee who’s tricked into approving a login request or falling for a clever spear-phishing message can expose the system.
That said, MFA is one of your strongest defenses. Microsoft reports that more than 99.2 % of account compromise attempts are blocked when MFA is in place. In many public statements, Microsoft and others have cited a 99.9 % effectiveness statistic — though experts caution that it refers mainly to automated attacks and doesn’t guarantee safety against all threat types. 3 But still — in a world of limited resources, that kind of barrier is a huge advantage.
You also need to talk about cost and consequences. When a small organization gets breached, the fallout often overwhelms every ability to recover.4 Some data suggests that 60% of small businesses hit by a serious cyberattack will go out of business within six months. Response, recovery, fines, reputational damage — these numbers add up fast. The average breach response cost can range from USD 120,000 to over USD 1.2 million for a small business. 5 And consumers notice. One survey showed that 85% of consumers would avoid dealing with a business they perceived as insecure.
So how do you fight back when you’re a small organization?
You start by treating security not as an afterthought, but as an essential part of how you operate. Start by thinking bigger than passwords — requiring MFA everywhere possible is your foundation. Regular training for everyone — leadership, staff, even contractors — matters more than you think, because humans are both your first line and highest risk vector. Make sure your systems are patched, your backup systems are solid, and you have a response plan for when something does go wrong. Don’t trust your vendors blindly. Your can become your own.
It may feel like square one — but when you commit to a few strong, consistent habits and build your defenses incrementally, the difference is real. Attackers move on when they hit friction. The harder you make it, the less appealing your organization becomes.
Another thing that can greatly protect you from a compromise is educating and training employees to recognize these signs and be able to act proactively. Doing this can ensure that there is a shared mindset in your organization.
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https://sqmagazine.co.uk/small-business-cybersecurity-statistics/
https://www.indusface.com/blog/key-cybersecurity-statistics/
https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-brand/documents/MFA-Microsoft-Research-Paper-update.pdf
https://cybersecurityventures.com/60-percent-of-small-companies-close-within-6-months-of-being-hacked/
https://alignedinsuranceagency.com/posts-general-liability/the-true-cost-of-cyberattacks-on-small-businesses-what-every-business-owner-needs-to-know/